UK Environmental news
 | Wednesday 24th June 2009 Is Bio Fuel an Answer to Jet Fuel Carbon Emissions A humble weed by the name of Camelina Sativa is causing a stir in aviation circles and has been proposed as a way to cut the carbon footprint of the aeronautical industry. The plant is native to Northern Europe and has traditionally been harvested as an oilseed crop for use in cooking oils. The oil has previously been praised for its health benefits such as having very high levels of omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. It is know by many pseudonyms including false flax, Gold-of-pleasure and German sesame. It has recently been discovered that the oil can be processed in a way that produces a highly efficient green jet fuel that outperforms the petroleum based fuels currently in use. In addition, the introduction of a Camelina based system will require almost no infrastructure changes as it can be stored and used in the same way as current fuels. The main environmental benefits come when you consider the complete life cycle of the system from field to flight. As Camelina Sativa is suited to semi-arid areas it can be grown on marginal agricultural land and has very low fertiliser requirements. The crop produces a very high oil yield and there is a wealth of usable by products. Above all Camelina sativa could be grown as a sustainable and renewable alternative jet fuel and it is being heralded as a viable alternative to fossil fuel use. Recent test flights have proved that it actually outperforms current fuels and it is readily available now. |
Comments (0)
|
|